Moments That Should've Been
by TheDevilsLotus
Summary: There were a lot of opportunities for good moments between the six characters. I take to exploring moments that I think should've happened throughout the game.
1. Competition

**DISCLAIMER: Final Fantasy XIII belongs to Square Enix**

**AN: Quick, older story that I found. Has anyone ever found themselves playing FFXIII and end up in this kind of situation? I have. I also might make this a collection of short stories, of moments I think should've happened in the game, so be on the look out! Enjoy!**

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**I. Competition**

Hope knew it was no longer some playful bet; in fact he had known. He knew it was about to become something serious after Fang and Lightning came to his rescue while they were in Palumpolum; later that night Fang taunted the soldier about how she took down that monster with no problem.

_"Piece o' cake," gloated Fang, giving Lightning a light nudge. "Too bad ya weren't on your A-game Sunshine, or otherwise I'd believe you've could've taken it down."_

_ "I could've done a much better job than you did," she countered._

_ "Oh really? Then how about we make a little bet, yeah? Next beastie or soldier we come across, show me that ya can take 'em down. Better yet, I'll give ya a head's start..."_

Then came the raid on the Palamecia, and Hope saw how the women tried to one-up the other. If Lightning got the kill in the first fight, then Fang would up her antics and get the kill in the next fight, and it would continue to go back and forth between them. Hope realized that no one stood in their way, and even he was forgotten as they charged into battle, using varying techniques to ensure they got the first win.

Inside the Ark, the competition between the women was more persistent and fiery where everyone saw how determined they were to outdo the other.

_"I haven't seen Fang like this in years!" chirped Vanille as they watched the two women race into another battle._

_ "You mean to say as crazy as soldier girl?" groaned Sazh._

_ "No not that! I mean feeling like she has competition. She's never had anyone step on her toes like Lightning has! It's pretty funny!"_

_ "Funny? I'm afraid one of them's gonna kill us!" said Sazh, exasperated._

_ "I've never seen Sis act like this ever," said Snow, jovially. "It's kinda cute to see those two go at it."_

_ "As long as they don't end up tearing this place apart, I'm okay with it."_

Hope saw the ceasefire between them after Barthandelus, but he was wrong to assume that their little competition was over completely. The temporary truce ended as soon as they took their first step on Gran Pulse. One unfortunate encounter with a Behemoth King was all it took to reignite that competitive spark. Hope could not understand what it was that drove these women to such extremes, but as long as he was not thrown in the middle of it, he would be okay with it.

"Ya got lucky there," growled Fang as Lightning finished off a Flan. "If it weren't for Lady Luck on yer side, I would've won and ya know it."

Lightning's lips curled deviously as she sheathed her gunblade. "Why don't you just admit I'm the better fighter Fang?"

"'Cause ya ain't, that's why."

"And yet I just took down that last monster. How many does this make it now?"

"Keep on talkin' big Sunshine, and next time, when we fight an Adamantoise, I'll make sure it steps on ya."

"Is that a bet?"

Fang placed her hands on her hips, and gave Light a smirk that said it all.

"Fine," huffed Lightning. "Let's see who can take it down first."

Hope was happy to see his mentor cut loose and have some fun, even if said fun was very dangerous. He could've given Lightning a bunch of reasons not to, but instead settled for having her act like care and worry free, even for just one day. So he quietly trudged after the women, hoping that their competitiveness wouldn't lead to them turning on him.


	2. A Father's Intuition

**AN: Hey guys! Been a while since I've posted something right? Well here's another moment that I think should've happened in the game. In one of the cutscenes in the game (before they go back to Cocoon), the game seems to establish that there was some friendship that had developed between Lightning and Sazh over the course of their stay on Gran Pulse, so I decided that a moment was needed!**

**I can't say I'm too proud of this. This is another old one. I like Sazh, but I'm not too used to writing his character, so I hope I didn't make him seem so out-of-character. I hope you enjoy though!  
**

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**II. A Father's Intuition**

You could say that it was his fatherly intuition.

The reason he followed her off that train? He could see there was something more to the pink-haired woman, something which triggered his natural father instincts. And now he was not only a father to her, but to four other kids as well. Though the pain for his real son burned in the pit of his stomach, Sazh found it satisfying to have people distract him from that, whether it be Snow making remarks at the wrong time, or Vanille attempt to tame a wild Behemoth King. Life was never boring with them around.

Not only was there never a moment where someone didn't do something, but there was also never a moment where he didn't offer his companions fatherly advice. In return they playfully called him 'old man'.

Sazh was always willing to give them advice, even at times where they did not want to hear it. But even if they did not want it, he told them anyhow - they needed to become wise, and learn how to survive in life.

One night he took note of how well tensions were rising, particularly with Lightning. It did not surprise him that the ex-soldier was the center of all the irritation, but after they all reunited on the Ark, he thought he saw something different in her. She had a glint to her eyes, something she never had before. He thought she had changed, and when they arrived on Pulse she seemed to prove him right. However, things took a dramatic turn when the soldier seemed determine to run everyone dry. Her temper was putting everyone in a bad mood, including Sazh, but he preferred to keep himself at a distance.

But women like Lightning and Fang do not distance themselves from the others. They look at the source of the problem and fight it. In this case, they were fighting each other. The group found themselves moving away from them, especially when the fighting got physical.

They rested for the night while Lightning went off on her own. Despite his warnings, Fang went after her. Sazh knew another physical confrontation would ensue.

"I don't understand," said Hope absently. "They were so friendly with each other..."

Sazh patted his shoulder. "Hey now, they're still friends. They're just fighting a lot is all."

"Do you think Pulse has had an effect on Light? I mean she's changed since we got here." Sazh could not help, but admire how concerned Hope was for the older woman.

"I think... she's frustrated," Vanille said considerably as she cast more Fire.

"Frustrated?" asked Hope.

"Well that'll make sense," said Snow. "Sis always wants to do something, and we've kinda been coming up short."

"Yeah, but Fang..."

"They're like oil and water," said Sazh. "Can't mix well."

"Who can't mix well?" Fang sauntered over to them, her face fuming red. "I've just 'bout had it with Sunshine's attitude."

"What happened? You guys didn't beat each other again did you?" squeaked Vanille.

"I should've, but I didn't want to get my fists all bloody."

"Where is Light anyways?" inquired Snow.

Fang snorted. "She ain't comin' back tonight. Good riddance, her and her condescendin' attitude."

"Hey, don't be talking about Lightning like that!" scolded Hope. He rose to his feet and stared coldly at the older woman.

Sazh quickly interjected, knowing a fight would ensue easily. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, now hang on a moment. Let's not get hasty. Fang, ya know you don't mean that-"

"So now yer a mind reader old man? I don't need this right now. I'm goin' to bed."

"Oh but Fang-!" said Vanille, but the older woman retreated into their tent without another word.

Hope frowned. "She's wrong, Light's not like that..."

Sazh patted his shoulder and looked at Snow. "Make sure these two get to bed soon alright? I'll be back."

Snow cocked his head. "Where're you heading off to?"

"Don't worry 'bout me." Sazh nodded his head, and the little chocobo chick emerged from his afro, chirping and taking flight, landing on his open palms. "Watch this little guy for me. I won't be long."

"O...kay..?"

Sazh left without another word, pulling out his two pistols, and hoping to himself that the night wouldn't get any worse with some unexpected attack. He tracked down Lightning easily - the clashing of metal against wood was undeniable, and he soon found her hacking away at a small tree.

Lightning did not cease as he approached her. "What do you want?" she grunted, continuing to slash at the poor tree.

"I think we should talk," he said, not intimidated by her state now. In the beginning when they had first met, the woman easily frightened him as he had never seen anyone who acted so cold as she. But as time went on, he found himself being a little less afraid of her.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Lightning, what's up with you? Everything was peachy perfect on the Ark, but as soon as we get here, you go back to acting like Soldier girl again."

" .Nothing' ." Lightning emphasized her point by jabbing the tree with each word spoken. However, as soon as those words left her mouth, she froze, sighing heavily. "Nothing's wrong, okay?"

Sazh crossed his arms. "Well clearly I don't buy that. I ain't Fang, Lightning. I'm not looking for a fight."

"Fang..." Regaining her strength, Lightning took Blazefire, and stabbed it deep into the tree, so deep that at first she could not pull it back. "Damn it..."

"Is it Serah?" Sazh pressed on. "Is this why you're all upset and what not?"

At the mention of her sister's name, Lightning froze. Sazh inwardly smiled, knowing that the woman might now be receptive to him. He sat down on the cool grass, patting the spot next to him. Lightning gazed down at him, and Sazh could see the vulnerability in her eyes. He only caught sight of them once, before Serah transformed into crystal. The vulnerability had been immediately masked by anger.

The two engaged in a staring contest. All weakness escaped Light's eyes, and she replaced them with an electric glare. Sazh, however, remained cool, unwilling to succumb to her intimidating nature. Finally Lightning relented, indicating so by crossing her arms, and beginning to pace.

"The longer we relax and enjoy ourselves, the shorter time runs out," she said. "For us, for Serah... We can't afford to be doing sightseeing."

Sazh's heart fell with the memory of Dajh. "Lightning, you might think that we don't understand what's going on. Snow knows how you feel 'bout Serah, Fang and Vanille were crystallized for five hundred years and come back with another burden, and my son's up there on Cocoon, just as much of a statue as your sister..."

He took a deep breath. "We get it Lightning, we know time's running out the longer we stick around here. But we need to get to Oerba too. It's not 'bout us sittin' around here and not getting our butts in gear. You think it's over because we're not hurryin' to get back to Cocoon? Is that it?"

Lightning flinched a bit.

Sazh grunted, and he stood toe-to-toe with her. "We need to get to Oerba to figure out what our Focus is. When we do that, we'll go back to Cocoon. Serah and Dajh ain't goin' anywhere, and I'll be damned to make sure that it stays that way. Would Serah want ya to be pushing everyone past their limit? We're not soldiers, y'know. Or have you forgotten that?"

Fists clenched tightly together, Lightning forced herself to look away from him. "You remind me so much about him..." she whispered gruffly.

"Of who?" Now Sazh was intrigued.

"Of my dad, before he..."

"Oh." The air between them grew cold, and Sazh suddenly found himself missing the campfire. "Did you ever keep secrets from your father?"

She shook her head. "Why?"

Sazh tentively reached out, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "We're a family now. If you wouldn't keep secrets from your dad, then you shouldn't keep secrets from your new family either."

Lightning looked away.

Realizing that his work was now done, Sazh backed off. "Alright, don't stay out too late."

"My dad was a soldier..." she began slowly. "He died, and mom soon followed. I was fifteen, and I needed to take care of Serah. So I joined the Guardian Corps to protect her."

Sazh slowly turned around, heart going out to this young woman who only had to dependent on herself.

"If I don't reach Serah, and find a way to free her... then I failed her too."

"You didn't fail anyone yet Lightning. Ya still got time."

She gave him a cool look. "How much time?"

"I don't know... But we can't give up. And we can't keep on pushing people past their limits. Find that happy medium Light."

"I've never found a medium," she admitted.

He gave her a warm smile. "Then find one now."

Lightning gave him an expressionless stare, then turned her attention to Blazefire, still buried in the tree. She grabbed the sword by its hilt, and tugged hard, finally freeing it from its prison. She turned her head back to Sazh and offered him a rare smile.

"Oh and you better make it up to Fang tomorrow mornin'," he said, as he and the woman departed back for camp. "'Cause I don't want to have to play therapist to her problems now either."


	3. Letting Go

**AN: Wow, hey guys, it's been a long time. I'm sorry about the lack of updates to both this and _All This Time_, but I have been busy concerning other things rather than worrying about writing fanfiction. Don't worry, I have not abandoned _All This Time_ as I'm in the process of trying to write Chapter 12, but I am not sure when it'll be released.****  
**

**That being said, I'm sorry that this is all I can offer you guys at the moment, but I do have a couple more ideas (for this, and an individual piece), so hopefully we'll be seeing that soon. That said, this is a rather quick piece that I got inspiration for, and I think it's a pretty neat idea, one that I certainly stand by, and I hope you guys enjoy it too!  
**

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**Letting Go**

"How can you stand it?"

"Stand what, Sunshine?"

"That she's not the same girl you were frozen with the last five hundred years?"

The two women had taken their spots a little on the outskirts of their camp on the plains on Gran Pulse, by a large boulder that the former soldier had taken her place on. The weather was sweet and cool tonight, but instead of Light initiating the walk into the wilderness, it was Fang who trotted away from camp, just to collect her thoughts. Lightning followed her - besides finding herself enjoying the older woman's company (but not wanting to admit to it), she had a curious question tugging at her since late afternoon where she overheard Sazh and Snow counseling Hope on women.

Theoretically Vanille was around Serah's age and therefore would also be wondering about the spectacles of men, yet Light was curious how Fang reacted to all of it. Since they had arrived on Gran Pulse, she likened the older woman's relationship to the cheerful red head as a sisterly bond, something that resembled what Light could've had with Serah; while Lightning had reacted badly to Serah developing into a woman, Fang didn't appear to be too fazed by it, or perhaps she was and keeping it bottled in. That seemed a lot like something the older woman would do.

Fang had been snapping a small stick before Light joined her, and all action concerning it ceased as the tan-skinned woman gave her pink-haired counterpart a curious glance. "I don't think I'm followin' ya there," she said.

Light's shoulders dropped and she gave an exasperated sigh. Did she have to spell everything out? "I mean Vanille, with men. How do you feel?"

Fang shrugged. "Don't really bother me much," she said casually, returning to snapping the already too short stick.

"You mean you're not upset about it?"

"No, why should I be? Vanille's a grown woman, she can handle herself." Fang snapped the last piece of stick and threw it away. "I'll just play the threatenin' big sis figure, but she can take care of herself, and I trust her."

Guilt slapped Lightning silly - Fang had a worse temper than she, or at least more willing to let it loose, and yet she was okay with Vanille getting involved with someone. More importantly, she trusted her. That only sickened Light further, about her behavior towards Serah since taking on the responsibility of the world, imagining her little sister as just that - a sister that would never grow up, never find love or want to have a family.

"Ya were like that way with Serah?" Fang must've been reading her mind, and Light swore at the woman in her head for being able to do that.

Light distracted herself by looking at the dark sky. It was so pretty, and the stars were out, something that was a rarity to see on Cocoon. "It's not something I'm proud of," she said plainly.

Fang snorted. "I don't blame ya. I mean if Vanille wanted to go date Snow-"

"It didn't start with Snow."

Now the Pulsian woman's attention was perked completely, and she gave Light a look. "Ya kiddin' me? Ya mean to tell me that you've been chasin' boys away from Serah since when?"

"Fifteen."

"Etro Light, ya trusted her that little?"

The heavy pang in her heart returned. "I said I wasn't proud of it," she spat nastily. "And if you want to continue making fun of me-"

"I ain't makin' fun of ya, I'm just surprised that ya played parent to her this whole time. Can't say I blame her for wantin' to run awa-"

Light whirled on her in an instant, no longer entranced by the sky. "Who told you that? Was it Snow?"

Fang raised her arms. "Hey, yeah it was Snow, so what? I asked, he answered."

"I'm going to kill him..."

"There'll be no killin' tonight Sunshine. Besides if ya want to blame someone blame me then, I made him tell me."

Light covered her face. "When our parents died, I had to grow up, and try and protect Serah from the world. But I began isolating her from my life too, and suddenly it became like I'm the one who had to make all the big choices for her."

"Look Light, I don't blame ya for wantin' to protect her, but she needed a sister and a best friend, not a mom. I mean I don't try and dictate Vanille's-"

"I wasn't dictating!" Lightning protested, but then hesitated. Was she really dictating what Serah had to do and what she couldn't do?

"Uh sounds like ya were to me. Hey I'm in no place to tell ya what to do with yer life Light, but ya might want to think less 'bout what ya want, and more on what she wants." Fang peered over to inspect the sight at the distant camp. "Looks like party time's over, I'm gonna head back. Ya comin'?"

Too involved with what Fang had told her, Lightning didn't even register her inquiry until Fang repeated herself, where Light responded by waving her off and leaving her to her thoughts. She leaned back on the boulder she sat upon, taking in the sky, but more importantly taking in what Fang had told her, and thinking about what she had done to Serah that only tore their relationship apart.

She didn't return to camp that night, contemplating and sorting her thoughts, and who she was then and who she was now. She knew she was not the same woman who merely shoved others aside to not only show that she could, but because she believed she didn't need anyone. No, she understood now that she did need people. Her former self might've hated the idea of Serah growing up, but her newer self... understood that she needed to let go. And when she openly admitted it to herself, suddenly it didn't seem so bad, that Serah wanted to be treated like a grown woman, and enter into a serious marriage with Snow. None of that seemed to bother her anymore.

Lightning fell asleep on the boulder, only awaken by a vicious tug on her cape in the morning. She turned her head to the side to see Fang staring up at her, a bold grin on her face. "Ya ready to go?"

Stretching out the creaks in her muscles, Lightning leapt off the boulder. Fang thought she was already being dismissed by the hardened woman, and therefore was surprised when Light caught her by the shoulders.

"Thanks Fang," she said, being truly honest in her response, and showing it by giving Fang one of her rare small smiles.

Fang arched an eyebrow, unable to hold back a smirk that appeared on her face. "Glad ya kinda get it now."

Light nodded. She did understand now.

When Serah was freed, things were going to be different between them.


End file.
